Phobia
by Harmonia-x
Summary: Spiders, Clowns, Heights & Darkness, Crowds, Small Spaces, Sinning, Needles, Time & Being Alone, Death, Insanity, Weight & Society. We're not Perfect. We Do Feel Fear. Rating Could Change, Genres vary too.


**~Phobia**

**Arachno~**

Today was a day like any other. I woke up, went to school unfortunately, saved the day from some villain or monster, went home and played video games or watched wrestling, trained, ate some food and went to sleep. But something disrupted this daily routine of mine. Something that haunts and causes even I, the strongest Powerpuff Girl to feel fear.

Today, I had received my usual telling off from Blossom for being too impatient when fighting the monster of the day and not looking out for anyone else because of this. I pretended to be listening as we flew home, but I didn't really take in any of it, and she knew that I know she did. Otherwise she wouldn't have to repeat herself practically every day of our superhero lives now would she? I don't see what she's complaining about, I mean I get the job done don't I? So it shouldn't matter that the two of them receive an extra scratch or two or a building gets slightly damaged in the process. I'm still saving their and the citizens of Townsville's lives.

We had arrived home by the time Blossom was done prattling on about whatever moral speech she had conjured up in the time I had committed my `sin` and when we finished off the monster. Bloody know-it-all. I would love to see the day someone shuts that smart arse mouth of hers. I would but she's my sister and let's face it I wouldn't beat her in any argument. Some nerds might be able to and I would threaten them into embarrassing her, but most are kissing the ground she - rarely - walks on. So that plan's a failure already. I had just reached the door when Bubbles pushed past me lightly.

"Shotgun shower!" she yelled as she flew through the house at supersonic speed to the bathroom, leaving a light blue trail behind her. I gave an indifferent shrug and headed towards the kitchen, I didn't want any more time in the presence of Blossom so that she could find some more things to preach at me about. I felt her pink eyes watch my every move and follow me into the kitchen. I heard her tut almost silently as I grabbed some crisps from the cupboard.

"Is there something wrong Blossom?" I sneered to her behind me as I opened the fridge and grabbed a can of coke. Slamming the fridge door with the back of my foot lightly, I spun around so I faced her. She was sitting at the table and glaring at me. There was silence and I shrugged thinking she wasn't intending to answer my question. What a bitch. I ripped open the back of crisps and the can of coke as I slouched into a chair opposite her. I busied myself with feeding myself some much needed, but not necessarily good for me, food.

"You could have waited until dinner you know? Now you're not going to be able to eat dinner as you would have already stuffed yourself with that crap." Her voice spoke in that snooty know-it-all tone. I rolled my eyes and looked up into hers with a glare to match hers.

"Does it really matter? You know I'll still be able to eat dinner, stop trying to find something to bitch at me about Blossom." I growled back as her eyes narrowed even more at me.

"It does matter; it means the Professor has to constantly buy food for your appetite's needs. He's not made of money Buttercup. Bubbles and I understand that we shouldn't eat so much that he has to go food shopping every few days but you don't seem to grasp this concept and I think it's about time that you should learn it." She countered, fuelling the fire needed to start an argument. Honestly half the time I swear I don't even start these shouting matches between us, and yet I get the blame most of the bloody time.

"I'm not idiotic Blossom, I know he's not made of money and I'm sorry that I'm not anorexic enough like you and Bubbles to eat the bare minimum a day." I snapped back, slamming down the now empty can of coke on the table with enough force to crush it but not dent the table. "Also I think you're over-exaggerating Blossom. He doesn't go food shopping every couple of days, he might go out every couple of days but that doesn't mean it's for food. Have you seen him go food shopping every couple of days?" she was silent for a moment and I took the chance to keep attacking her verbally of course. "No? Have you seen him come home with food every couple of days? So he might be out socialising or a at some geek meeting. I don't know!" She was still silent after this and I sat in half satisfaction and shock. Had I just beat the all knowing and completely perfect Blossom in an argument?

"That's rare of you Buttercup." She murmured to herself and she sat in thought, I sent a weird glare at her as I continued my eating of the bag of crisps. "That's the first time I've ever heard you say anything near logical." She said a bit louder this time. One of my eyebrows rose, just as Bubbles bounced into the room and towards the fridge.

"The bathrooms free." she spoke airily as she grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge. Blossom and I exchanged glances for a second before we both bolted out the door, leaving it swinging violently, and towards the bathroom. Forcing all energy I had just gained from the coke and crisps, I had just the advantage I needed to get to the bathroom first. I used the extra energy into my legs and I reached out towards the door handle, grabbing it, forcing it open and closed as I shot inside. I laughed to myself as I heard Blossom yell out my name in frustration.

"Too slow Bloss!" I yelled, as I turned and looked around the bathroom. My green towel was hanging up on one of the radiators in the room and all my shower needs were in here already – I was usually too tired to go fetching them from my room and then taking them back, what was the point in doing that anyway? There's enough room in here for them. Turning on the shower, I let it heat up – not that it would take long after bubbles having been it – and started to un-dress. I had got to my underwear when I saw it.

And there it stood, in its hairy, black and lanky glory. I stared at it was my equally bug-like green eyes, my shirt dropping from hands in shock as it turned on the spot to face me, it's eight legs somehow not getting caught up in one another. I felt my heart begin to race as I stood rigidly as if frozen, the silence of the room only being disrupted by the growing volume of which my heart was beating. 'Fuck, how did Bubbles not notice THAT' I thought trying to distract myself – and not succeeding as my thoughts still contained it in them. It got harder to breathe and I felt my lungs grasping for the oxygen that was there but not going in. I tried to force myself to move or get over it and just kill it – it wouldn't be able to hurt me I a Powerpuff girl for fuck sake. But it was as if my brain had ceased to function properly as I just continued to stand there and stare at it until it scuttled with what I felt was supersonic speed slightly to the right as it headed towards the sink – which I was standing right next to. And I reacted in nearly the worst way possible

A gasp escaped my throat as I watched it's eight legs and hairy body run towards me. I flew into the air with a silent scream and that seemed to make it freeze in place on the wall. It seemed to be staring right back into my eyes and I felt as if my heart had skipped a few dozen beats in that one moment.

"Fuck" I whispered shakily as I floated in the air, until a voice broke the silence.

"Buttercup?" I felt my heart plummet, there is no way I wanted her to see me acting this way because of a fucking spider. I tried to sound indifferent and angry as I snapped back at the voice.

"What?"

"Don't waste the hot water; there are still other people who want to use it after you. How many things do you have to waster? Honestly." I could have flown out and punched her in annoyance. Why doesn't she try showering with that disgusting thing staring at her and in this moment I hadn't noticed that the spider had taken the moment to run. I growled to myself as I heard her stomp away and turned my green eyes back to the place where the spider last was. I felt my heart skip again as I realised it wasn't there.

"Fuck" I swore again as I spun on the spot searching for it. "Where'd it fucking go?" I grumbled to myself my eyes wide and heart racing. After a minute or so of spinning on the spot, I stopped and groaned in annoyance that I couldn't find it. Now it could have gone anywhere – specifically my room – and could be waiting to attack me at night. I thought blindly in fear. I floated there for another minute or so with stupid thoughts of how the spider was going to eat me and my mental state only got worse. My breathing was ragged, I felt light-headed and my heart was thrashing against my chest violently according to my thoughts.

"Snap out of it Buttercup!" I growled to myself. "Just have a shower and get out of the room as quickly as possible, otherwise Blossom will come back and laugh at how pathetic you are" I continued, not really caring that I was talking to myself. Flinging my underwear off, I jumped into the shower – still floating so that I didn't touch anything – and possibly had the shortest shower in existence. Grabbing the towel and my discarded clothes, ignoring all thoughts that the spider might be on them, I flung the door open and shot into my room with near record speed.

I scanned the room, my breathing speeding up as I looked around the whole room. 'There are no spiders Buttercup. Get a grip and here the world thought you were "the strongest Powerpuff Girl" when you're really not.' My thoughts were getting critical of me and this was never a good sign, I wasn't about to get paranoid on what people thought of me. I changed into my pyjamas trying not to look around the room at ever second to look for spiders, I heard Blossom storm up the stairs and yell something before the bathroom door slammed shut. I focused onto trying to calm down before I was beckoned downstairs for dinner. I floated cross-legged in the middle of room, so that I had equal vision around the whole room and did some yoga breathing techniques that I had seen Bubbles do one time. I might have taunted her for doing yoga but now I see that it actually helps and I'll never mock yoga again. And so I sat like this in silence and fear for an hour and a half until I heard the Professor call my name.

"Buttercup, Dinner's ready!" he shouted the tone of his voice seeming warm and comforting for once, normally this repulses me but as I floated down the stairs with a nonchalant and indifferent face inside I knew I wanted nothing but to crawl into his arms and cry about the big scary spider. But being who I was, these urges were thrown aside easily. I felt Blossom's annoyed gaze target onto me as soon as I stepped into the room, but no words followed my entrance into the kitchen – she wouldn't show any bad side of her to the Professor as it would taint her image of being the perfect daughter. Dinner continued on in silence with the occasionally break of Bubbles telling the Professor about her day at school and new colouring pencils she wants or Blossom telling him about the monster they dealt with today – normally getting me into trouble because of how I acted. But for once I really couldn't give a shit what she said about me. I heard the words I was waiting for and felt their criticising stares focus on me.

". . . Yes?" I snapped as I couldn't take their accusing eyes any longer, "so what, they gained a few more scratches than what they would've gained if I hadn't been reckless!" Bubbles turned away shrinking as she felt an argument rising, the Professor sighed and Blossom all but blew up in my face.

"Scratches!" she roared, her red hair flying out as she shot to her feet – it made her seem a bit like a lion – but I stared calmly into her furious, glaring eyes. "They were not scratches," she continued lowering the volume of her voice slightly, but still towered over me in an aggressive manner – normally you would have thought the positions to be reversed wouldn't you? "Bubbles had a gash all the way down her arm and was thrown around by her hair like a rag doll after you pissed the monster off not to mention a building was completely destroyed, it's a miracle Bubbles and I were able to save all the people in the building whilst you had been knocked to the side!" She continued to rant "Or had you forgotten that buildings were also crushed in today's fight! You know they get angry if buildings are destroyed and most of the time Professor has to help pay for the damage costs!" she finished and I was almost expecting her to slam her hands on the table.

"That's enough Blossom, Buttercup gets the point" he said calmly, his eyes still focused on me. "Buttercup, next time please try and control how many buildings are destroyed. I know it's difficult, but please try. Now all of you, off to bed." He seemed to be ancient at that point as he rubbed his temples slightly as we left.

Blossom gave me a last look of annoyance before shutting herself into her room. Bubbles wished me good night and sweet dreams before practically dancing into her room, not quite closing the door all the way. 'She's obviously still afraid of the dark.' I mused before walking up to my bedroom door and staring at it. 'Well I'm still scared of spiders'

I turned around and headed into the bathroom, brushing my teeth and avoiding looking at anything but my face in the mirror. Finishing up as quickly as I could, I walked back to my bedroom door and stopped. I did another few yoga breaths and took a final deep breath before opening the door and scanning as much of the room as I could before entering and closing the door behind me. I floated over to my bed and felt stupid, weak and pathetic as I wrapped myself in the covers. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed for sleep to come quick so that I wouldn't think about it walking all over the walls. And thankfully it did.

- - - - - **Next Day** - - - - -

I woke to my name being yelled and the sunshine blaring down on me through the windows. Groaning I forced myself upright and stretched my arms as far as they could with a yawn. I heard my favourite voice yell at me through the walls, but it didn't make me go any faster. I got changed into any clothes I could find around me and patted down my hair – not really bothering to brush it. 'It just gets all messy from flying anyway.' I thought to myself as I grabbed my bag and headed towards the yells.

"Hurry up Buttercup! You're going to make us late!" she bellowed from the bottom of the stairs, looking perfect as her hair was neatly done up, her face clean of any spots or blemishes and her clothes perfect and smart. Bubbles stood next to her looking cute with Octi poking out of her bag and her clothes in bright colours.

"I can't believe you still carry Octi around with you, how old are you?"

"Buttercup! You don't have the right to be casual and slow, get some breakfast and hurry up!" Blossom snapped, so Bubbles didn't have the chance to interrupt. Flicking my middle finger at her, I shot into the kitchen and grabbed an apple before flying back to them.

"Ready now" I said, stating the obvious, Blossom glared at me but turned away quickly and headed out the front door before shooting of into the air as a pink blur. Bubbles and I followed suit with ease. "Bye!" I shouted back to the house in case the Professor was still there.

School went on with nothing exciting happening and I contemplated with myself whether to skip half the lessons of the day, I would be spending my day more effectively that way. But before I had the chance to decide, the Hotline went off just after lunch time.

"Girls, A monster is attacking Townsville! Ah there it is outside my window" The mayors voice rang through our new hotline – see the Professor decided since we wouldn't all be in the same place during the day and we were old enough to be without one another, he created mobile phone hotlines which could be used to contact us all at the same time if there was an emergency and could be used as a mobile phone. So I was thankful for the break from school and sped out of the classroom and school and into the air without even mothering to tell the teacher. Blossom and Bubbles joined me in the sky as we soared to central Townsville and to the monster.

We were closing on and I could see that it was a big eight-legged, black mass. 'Eight legged?' I thought suddenly to myself as the monster became recognisable as something that sent fear into many hearts. I heard Bubbles give a slight squeal of fear and I knew immediately that I was correct in guessing. 'Fuck! A fucking gigantic spider!' I thought frantically as my heart beat raced and my enthusiasm for fighting a monster – for once – had hit rock bottom. I slowed slightly as we flew towards it and Blossom looked back at me with a curious and still irritated look.

"Buttercup, what are you doing?" she asked the gap between us getting larger "We don't have time for this, come on." I gave in to my fear and ruined any pride that I had. I gulped and tried to focus my gaze on Blossom.

"It's a spider" I almost whimpered.

"Yes. I can see that Buttercup" she snapped back, not seeing what I was trying to say.

". . . It's a spider" I repeated, Blossom sent me an annoyed look but Bubbles seemed to have understood.

"Are you still scared of spiders, Buttercup?" she asked lightly and all I could reply with was a tiny nod, Blossom sighed and sent me a slightly annoyed but sympathetic look. "Maybe you shouldn't join us in dealing with it."

"B-but. . ." But I couldn't leave it to just you two, is what I wanted to say but Blossom cut across me.

"No, Bubbles is right Buttercup. Plus you might hinder us even more than usual because you're scared. Stay here and we'll deal with it" She commanded as we closed in on it. I stopped and dropped onto the building's rooftop below me, annoyed that this fear hindered my job to save the city and left Blossom and Bubbles to deal with it alone. I might hate them most of the time but it doesn't mean I will just sit by and let them deal with these monsters or villains alone. Plus this is my favourite past-time.

I sat down and tried to distract myself from hyperventilating at the fact that there was a massive spider in front of me. I couldn't tell how my sisters were doing as all my brain seemed to focus on was the spider. My breathing and heart quickened as I watched its body move around and it got harder and harder to not focus on it. My lungs struggled to get air and I gasped trying to breathe properly. Swaying on the spot I felt light headed from the lack of proper amounts of oxygen and I crawled into ball trying not to let the whole world see this moment of weakness. My breaths came out in ragged gasps and my heart and lungs laboured away trying to keep my alive and breathing, but the fear of the spider consumed me and I could see them everywhere. I couldn't concentrate anymore on anything but the spiders. I closed my eyes trying to help block them out but I could see after-images of them in my head until everything went silent and dark.

It took a dozen or so minutes for me to have calmed down and come back to reality, but in this time my sisters had been defeated and the Spider was heading towards me. Coming out of my ball, I looked up to find its eyes staring right back into mine. Regrettably letting out a scream of shock and fear, I tried to scuttle myself backwards but I came to the roofs edge – and the fact that I had superpowers was wiped from my mind completely. I looked from side to side to find Bubbles in a bloody heap to the right and Blossom in a struggling, bloody mess on the left with a spider's web keeping her down and millions of tiny spiders crawling all over her – and Bubbles. Hating myself that I couldn't help them, I tried to force the courage and energy into me to help them and beat the spider. But as I looked back towards it, with its mouth open wide and pincers snapping with a green liquid dripping off them, I found myself frozen to the spot and watched with horror a racing heart and failing lungs as it closed the gap between us.

And with a second scream everything was black and its mouth closed around me.

- - - - - - - - - -

I felt my body snap upright as I let out a scream. I stared around the room wildly for a few seconds, trying to register where I was and what was going on. All I could remember was a big fucking spider. My door slammed open and my sisters raced in and looked around wildly just as I had done.

". . . Huh?" Bubbles said as she relaxed in my doorway as she noticed nothing was wrong. Blossom relaxed as well but with the same confused look appearing on her face. "Did you just scream Buttercup? I swear I just heard one from in here." She continued her blue eyes looking at me and then around the room in confusion.

"What's going on?" Blossom asked, but I had by then regained my senses and realised that it was just a dream and there was no way I was about to admit I had just screamed because of a dream.

"I don't know, you're the ones barging into my bedroom. Nearly gave me a heart attack" I sneered slightly as I relaxed and stretched my arms "I didn't hear a scream; you two must be hearing things. Now do you mind? If you want to be on time today I suggest you get out of my room." I snapped, sending them an annoyed glare. They gave each other confused glances before exiting.

"You better hurry up and get ready, Buttercup" Blossom said with a smirk before closing the door. I gave a sigh of relief, that was close they could have found out then. 'But still what a horrible nightmare' I thought with a slight shiver as I got up and threw on some clothes. I grabbed my bag before flying out of my room, shaking away any thoughts on the nightmare and slammed the door closed behind me.

"Buttercup!"

"I'm coming Blossom! Don't be so fucking impatient!"

An argument filled the house after that and no-one noticed a small but black and hairy spider crawling up the wall in Buttercups room. Its destination and intentions unknown, but something horrible from the red glint in its eyes as it headed into unknown black spaces in the room.

**~The End~**

- - - - - **A/N** - - - - -

Um, so first update in awhile. But this is going to –hopefully- be a collection of one-shots and some two-shots about phobias but it's hard to make it seem extreme and all horror-y like so it's just Fears technically just with the words taken from phobias. So I've had this planned for ages and I just couldn't get the creativity to write it, but I have to say this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Haha it makes me proud and somewhat sceptic that all my creativity has run out and it'll take another year for me to carry on. I'll try since its summer to write more as I've actually got a plan for loads of chapters. When this work experience I'm doing is done – very long days so I literally sleep go to work exp and then sleep as soon as I get home. And yeah i think this is a bit crap, but oh well, if you like it then yay, if you don't then just click back and carry on whatever you were doing in the first place.

So I say I've got a plan on the chapters but I might do a poll at the end of each chapter to see which "phobias" you want next – this literally just occurred to me and I thought why not? Gives me something to work towards I suppose, Shall we try this out? I'll give a choice of three/four and which ppg it will be and some are romance ones and some aren't as shown by this one but I won't tell you which ones. And the two-shots will hopefully be every 10 or so chapters. Okay poll – getting distracted. Answer through the review things please, if no-one votes I'll just go along with my plan. Now to pick random ones, there won't be any Buttercup ones as this chapter was about her.

**Poll~** (for next chapter in case you cba to read the above)

1. Caco (Ugliness)[or Being Ugly]- Bubbles

2. Isolo (Being Alone) – Blossom

3. Lygo (Darkness) – Bubbles

4. Agora (Crowds) – Blossom

Thank you.

R&R for cookies ^_^

Oh and no flames please that decreases update time by ages.


End file.
